Pressing iron having starch dispenser



Oct. 20, 1970 P. D. HARDWICK ETAL 3,53

PRES-SING IRON HAVING STARCH DISPENSER Filed Aug. 7, 1968 ATTORNEYS 3,534,488 PRESSIYG IRON HAVING STARCH DISPENSER Peter D. Hardwick, Dorchester, Mass. (Tumco, Box 3902, APO N.Y. 09380), and 301m 3. Trornbetta, Norwalk, 556115115.) (3535 NAV TNG WG, Mathier AFB, Calif.

Filed Aug. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 750,924 Int. Cl. D06f 75/06 U.S. Cl. 38--77.3 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressing iron having incorporated therein an aerosoltype container of liquid starch, the outlet ports of which are directed downwardly to discharge liquid starch on the fabric being pressed, means being associated with the handle of the iron to control starch discharge. There is also provided a novel aerosol-type cartridge for use with the pressing iron.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressing iron having incorporated therein the starch spray means provided by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the front end of the iron, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In pressing fabrics, such as clothes and the like, it is often desirable to use starch, and this has heretofore been applied to the fabric before or after the pressing operation in a great variety of ways which need not be described in detail in this specification, except to say that the starch is usually applied in an aqueous solution. By the present invention I have provided means incorporated into the pressing iron itself which, when operated, will release a spray or mist of an aqueous solution of starch directly onto the fabric being pressed, thereby eliminating the necessity for external means for applying starch, and insuring that such application may be accomplished during the pressing operation itself. I have also provided by this invention, as a new article of manufacture, an aerosol-type cartridge containing an aqueous solution of starch which is specially constructed to be positioned within the recess in the pressing iron provided by the invention.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated a pressing iron which may be of any desired type, construction or heating means, such as electric, steam, gas or other, and having a body portion 2, a bottom pressing surface 4, and a handle 6. Adjacent its forward end 8 the body of the iron is formed with a preferably cylindrical recess or cavity 10 having a vertical axis, the upper end of the cavity being adjacent the upper part of the handle 6 and the lower end being adjacent the bottom surface of the 3,534,488 Patented Oct. 20, 1970 iron. This recess or cavity is communicated by two outwardly and downwardly inclined passages 12 with recesses 14 which are formed in the corners formed by the bottom and side walls of the iron adjacent the front end thereof, for a purpose which will be described.

In accordance with the invention I also provide as a new article of manufacture a cylindrical container 20 which is of such size that it will fit within and substantially fill the recess 10. Adjacent its lower end the container is provided with two outwardly and downwardly inclined tubes 22 which are positioned and adapted to register with and extend into the passages 12 in the body of the iron. These tubes communicate with the interior of the container 20 and are adapted and intended to direct the contents of the container into the recesses 14 at the opposite sides of the iron at the forward end thereof and onto the fabric being pressed. At its upper end the container is provided with a button 30 which is normally held in a raised inoperative position by spring means 32 and which extends above the upper surface of the handle of the iron adjacent the front end thereof. The button may be depressed and manually held down, or it may be depressed and latched in depressed position by turning it to engage the latch pin 34 in recess 36.

The container 20 is of the aerosol type and contains an aqueous solution of starch under pressure which is released through the tubes 22 upon depression of the operating button 30, which can be done at any time while the iron is being operated. Upon depletion of the starch solution in a container, the container may be removed from the iron and a fresh container inserted.

We claim:

' 1. A pressing iron having a body part having a flat bottom surface and a handle, the body part having a cavity therein having at least one passage communicating the lower part thereof to the bottom surface of the body part adjacent the forward part of the iron, an aerosoltype container of liquid starch within said recess and adapted when operated to discharge liquid starch through said passage to the fabric being pressed, and means associated with the handle for operating the container to discharge liquid starch.

2. A pressing iron according to claim 1, having two oppositely outwardly and downwardly inclined passages leading from the lower end of the cavity to the outside of the body adjacent the forward end of the pressing surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,110,537 9/1914 Durand 3878 3,114,983 12/1963 Larcher 3877 3,335,507 8/1967 Vieceli 3877 3,101,562 8/1963 Crawford 38-78 3,300,884 1/1967 Giarrafi'a et a1. 3878 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

